Fruit juicing machine



June 24, 1941- E. E. EDENFIELD FRUIT JUICING MACHINE Filed May 26, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l nlllxllrnl w MM Q m m...

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June 24, 1941. E. E. EDENFIELD FRUIT JUICING MACHINE Filed May 26, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 24, 1941. E. E. EDENF'IELD FRUIT JUICING MACHINE} Filed May 26, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 vi 1 55% U u June 24, 1941'.

E. E. EDENFIIELD FRUIT JUICING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 "Filed May 26, 1938 June 24, 1941. EDENFIELD 2,247,190

FRUIT JUICING MACHINE Filed May 26, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Watershed June 24, 19M I Application May 26, 1938, Serial No. 210,382

4 Claims. (@l. lilo-d7) This invention relates to a fruit juicing mafruit, other citrus fruit or the like is cut in half chine or fruit juice extracting machine. by severing mechanism as at A and by such It is aimed to provide a novel construction of mechanism is fed or pushed onto an endless consuch a machine for use in connection with citrus veyor B which moves the same between relativefruit in particular, and especially for limes, ally flat squeezing or extracting rollers C so that though capable of use with oranges, grape-fruit, the juice may drain into a collecting receptacle lemons and the like. or trough D leading to and discharging at any An especial object is to provide such a machine desired location, the skins of the fruit halves beas is compact, relatively inexpensive, may be ing conveyed rearwardly and dropping from enbuilt as a portable unit if desired, and is durable l gagement with the extracting rolls or disks C. and efilcient in use. Any juice from the skins, is removed from the It is further an aim of the invention to provide perip ery of the rolls C by Washing 0r p coacting rolls or disks for crushing the limes or l g an E c s t y trained on the periphother fruit to extract the juice, one of the disks ery of said extracting rolls. being disposed for relative cushion movement Referring more specifically to the drawings, the with respect to the other disk or roller to acm ch e has af a pr ferably metalli and commodate fruit varying in size. of skeleton form, built permanently on a sup- A further object is to provide a structure port, or'otherwise, as preferred. All of the parts wherein the extracting means will operate withare preferably driven from a S ngle source of out danger of the liquid contained in the skins p wer which may be an electric motor i i suitor rinds being admixed with the fruit Juice, and y mounted on the frame i0- more specifically to provide means for spraying Reverting to the cutting or severing mechaor washing the periphery of the extractors, in nism disclosed at A, the said frame it has a combination with means to scrape surplus moist lateral extension i2 contain ng a fruit supp material from the peripheries before the subsetleugh i3 p efe ably channeled or of V-shape quent squeezing or extracting operation. as best shown in Figure 9, so that the fruit i i The more specific objects and advantages will ay b ed a on the same into en a e t become apparent from a consideration of the with a Vertically disposed d centrally mo ed,

description following taken in connection with peripherally sharpened k or cutter i5 keyed accompanying drawings illustrating an operative for instance to a shaft it, journaled in suitable embodiment, bearings ii on said extension i2. Beyond the In said drawings 1 cutter it, the extension 02 or trough i3, Widens, Figure 1 i a m View of h improved fruit and has centrally and longitudinally disposed Juice extracting machine; therein a suitable cam i3 whichis highest at the Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view longitudinal Center as Shown, d t pe s from taken on the plane of line 2--2 of Figure l; the same to a feather edge at pp S des, Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on e cam also progressively widening aw y fr m the plane of line of the Cutter. AS a result, the when cllt Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken into halves by the knife will a at the cut on the plane of line l-l of Figure 1; Surfaces into Contact With p te sides of the Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view Cami Peing gradually moved thereby to positaken partly on the same plane as Figure 3; ions Where the cut Surface-S e lowermost and Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal Sectional horizontal,the halves being gradually pushed for; view taken on the plane of line 6-45 of Figure 1; Ward as the fruit is Supplied pushed along Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional the trough view taken substantially on the plane of line l -l The aforesaid a v s of the citrus fruit which of Figure 6; are specifically designated 09 as they are pushed Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on the line alone, are guided y t trough a d cam it onto that of Figure 1, and the endless conveyor belt B, with their cut sur- Figure 9 is a cross section taken on the line faces lowermost and horizontally dispesed on @3 of Figure 3 the same. Attention is called to the fact that Referring to the drawings wherein like refany suitable halving or cutting mechanism may erence characters designate like or similar parts be employed, that shown and described being by throughout the various views, and first to the y f x p o y, so as to make the construcsame generally, the limes, oranges, lemons, grapet cn a d Operation o the machine clear.

The said conveyor belt B is trained over pulleys 2| and 22, respectively keyed to cross shafts 23 and 24, journaled in suitable bearings 25 and 26 provided on the frame Ill. The upper run of the conveyor or belt B traverses the major portion of the bottom wall of a trough 26, the belt passing through an opening 21 in such 'wall. The trough 26' also includes upwardly extending side walls 28 to guard against displacement of the fruit halves from the belt B. h Fastened at their rear ends to the vertical walls or flanges 28 and extending freely over the trough 26 are guides or deflectors 29 for the fruit halves. Such elements 29 guide the fruit halves so as to insure-theis-pass'age from the conveyor belt B over the bottom of the trough 26' and between the expressing and juice extracting disks or rollers C, C.

Said rollers C, C are horizontally disposed and are keyed to vertical shafts 30 and 30, which are journaled in suitable bearings 3| and 32 on the frame It). The peripheries of said expressing wheels, disks or rollers C may be suitably lined or faced, as with rubber 33 or any other desired material.

One of said juice extractors or rollers C, C or both of them, and for instance the one which (is primed, is mounted for cushioned yielding movement away from the other extractor, to

accommodate fruit halves of different or varying sizes. To this end, the shaft of the said yieldable extractor C which is also primed so as to be designated 30, is journaled in a sleeve bearing 34, rigid with a slidable plate or bracket 35, guided in channel members 36 mounted on the skeleton frame It. The channel members 36 are connected by a bridge piece 31 in which a screw 38 is adjustably mounted so as to determine the minimum clearance between the extracting rolls C and C'. Said bridge piece 31 has a depending bracket 39 and a depending bracket 40 is provided on the plate 35. A rod 4| is slidablly mounted by said brackets 39 and 4|] and fastened in place by an adjustable nut 42. The head of the rod or bolt 4| forms an abutment for an expansive coil spring 43 surrounding the rod and also abutting the bracket 40, thus urging the plate 35 into contact with the screw 38.

The juice squeezed or extracted from the fruit halves as they pass rearwardly between the extracting rolls C and C, drains or flows through a sieve or grill 44 into the collecting means or trough D, leading to any desired receptacle or destination. The fruit skins, are released by the rolls as rearward movement of the skins continues, and such skins slide downwardly, as across.

an inclined apron 45, into a pile, a receptacle, or in any manner to facilitate discharge.

A countershaft 46 is journaled in suitable bearings 4'! on the frame Ill, transversely of the machine and it is driven by an endless belt 48 trained over pulleys 48' and 48", provided respectively on the shaft of motor H and the countershaft. The cutter l5 and its shaft |6 are driven traverses a sprocket 59 on the shaft 51 and also traverses a sprocket 60 on the shaft 24 so as to drive such shaft and accordingly cause oper ation of the endless belt B.

The said shaft 24 has bevel gear wheels 6| keyed to opposite ends thereof which are enmeshed with bevel gear wheels 62 keyed to vertical shafts 63 suitably journaled as in bearings 64 and 65 on the frame l0.

Shaft 63 drives, the shaft 30 and accordingly extractor C since an endless chain 66 traverses sprockets Bland 68, on said shafts 63 and 30, respectively. The other shaft 63 drives the shaft 30' and the extractor roller C through an endless chain 69 traversing sprockets l0 and 1|, on the shafts 30' and 63, respectively. It will be noted that the flexible chain 69 permits the aforesaid relative movement of the extractor roll C relatively to the extractor roll C, without interfering with the drive or operation of the extractors.

The guide members 29, are preferably metallic, and they may be readily bent by hand, as suggested by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 7, according to the size of the fruit halves handled by the machine and guided thereby centrally between the extractors C and C.

Adjacent said guides 29 at the forward end, is a feeding device F, to insure positive feed of the fruit halves properly between the extractors C and C. This fed device, F has a frame or body I3 of skeleton form. Such body is Journaled on a cross shaft 74 journaled in bearings 15 on the frame l0. On shaft 14, a pulley 16 is keyed, which is traversed by an endless belt 11 trained over a shaft 18 journaled in the frame or body 13. It will be noted that thebelt 11 has suitable flights 19 thereon adapted to engage the fruit halves l3, to positively push them between the extractors C and C. This feed device F is capable of bodily movement on the shaft 14 as an axis, as suggested in dotted lines in Figure 6, according to the size of the fruit halves. The feed device F is held against undue lowering at the front end, through the abutment of the frame or body 13 with a lug provided on the frame I0. Said shaft 14 is rotated from the countershaft 46, through the medium of an end less belt 8 I, trained over pulleys 82 and 83, keyed to the shafts l4 and, respectively.

One important feature of the present machine is the fact that the yieldable mounting of the extractor C relatively to the extractor C, effects expressing or extraction of the juice from the fruit halves without unduly crushing the rinds or skins of the fruit, to such an extent to cause undue exudation of the oil or juice of such skins or rinds that it will drip or admix with the extracted juice and pass with the same into the trough D. However, the oil or juice of the rinds which is necessarily expressed by the rolls C and C, is removed as such rolls or extractors rotate, since at the rear thereof, the washing or spraying apparatus E is provided. This apparatus is preferably in communication with a source of water supply to constantly supply water through the nozzles 9|] thereof, which water strikes the periphery of the extractors C and C, thereby removing the oil or liquid extracted from the skins or rinds, the same draining ofl. into an appropriate receptacle or, gutter. As the extractors C and C' continue to move in the direction of the arrows, and after the spraying or washing at the nozzles 90, the periphery of such rollers .or extractors is engaged or wiped by flexible flaps or wiper members iii, of any desired number and construction, mounted on the frame I 0. Such wiper members 9| may be flexible rubber strips having a squeegee action on the periphery of the extractors.

To briefly recapitulate, the limes or other citrus fruit halved by the cutter l pass onto the conveyor B, their cut surfaces being downward. Said conveyor moves rearwardly, correspondingly moving the fruit halves or segments and causing the same to pass between the adjusted guides 29, being engaged adjacent the free ends of such guides, by the flights 79 of the feeder device F which positively moves the fruit halves or segments between the extractors C and C, the feed device F being capable of yielding vertically on the shaft it as an axis, according to the size of the fruit segments. Such fruit segments as positively fed forwardly by the feed device F, will be gripped by the peripheries of the extractor member C and C and squeezed or crushed to the extent necessary to remove or extract the juice, the roller or extractor C being set at a predetermined position and the tension of the springs 63 being initially tensioned to avoid undue crushing of the skins and to permit yielding of the roller C in the case of fruit larger than the predetermined setting. The juice willdrain or flow through the grill or sieve 44 into the trough D and pass to the desired location for storage or use. The skins will be released by the extractor rolls C and C' as the latter move rearwardly, and such skins will slide oif of the machine into a pile, receptacle or otherwise along the apron E5. Following the release of the skins, the peripheries of the rolls C and C' will be sprayed or washed, by water from the nozzles 90 directed onto the same, to remove any possible oil or liquid squeezed from the skins of the fruit. Thereafter, and before the cleaned surface of the rollers again engages fruit halves, the same will be wiped by the elements 91 presenting a practically dry and clean surface to the fruit, without any danger of accumulation of the oil or liquid from the skins on the periphery of the extractor members, and its admixture with the fruit juice.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A juice extracting machine of the class described having an endless conveyor to advance fruit segments, a trough in which the conveyor operates, guide members in the trough through which the fruit segments pass, pressing means for the fruit, and a positive feed device for the fruit in the form of an elongated lever having its free end nearest the pressing means and carrying an endless movable member having means for engaging the fruit, said feed device being disposed adjacent the discharge end of the guide means to push the fruit into direct engagement with the pressing means.

2. A juice extracting machine of the class described having an endless conveyor to advance fruit segments, a trough in which the conveyor operates, guide members in the trough through which the fruit segments pass, pressing means for the fruit, and a positive feed device for the fruit adjacent the discharge end of the guide means to push the fruit into direct engagement with the pressingmeans, comprising a rotatable shaft disposed above the conveyor, a lever journaled on said shaft having its free end adjacent the pressing means, and an endless element trained on the lever and driven by the shaft adapted to contact the fruit segments while on said first mentioned conveyor.

3. A juice extracting machine of the class described comprising a pair of rotatable elements to peripherally engage and press fruit segments, means rotatably mounting said elements, means operating to rotate both elements, the first mentioned means having parts mounting one of the elements for yielding bodily automatically according to the bulk of the fruit, relatively to the other element while both elements rotate, an endless conveyor having an upper run in a substantially horizontal plane to move out fruit toward the extracting elements with the cut surfaces downward, a cross shaft to drive said conveyor, gearing at opposite ends of the cross shaft, driven thereby, means to drive the cross shaft, and driving connections from the gearing to said elements.

4. A juice extracting machine of the class described comprising a pair of rotatable extracting elements to peripherally engage and press fruit segments, means rotatably mounting said elements, means mounting one of the elements relatively to the last mentioned means, for yielding automatically according to the bulk of the fruit, relatively to the other element, an endless conveyor to move fruit toward the extracting elements, a cross shaft to drive said conveyor, gearing at opposite ends of the cross shaft driven thereby, means to drive the cross shaft, flexible driving connections from the gearing to said elements, a receiving trough for the extracted juice adjacent said elements having a grill thereover, means operable to spray the periphery of the elements after extracting operations, and means to thereafter wipe said peripheries. 

